Like many, you might have been inspired by the beautiful work of other photographers, and made it your ambition to break into the exciting and ever-changing world of fashion photography. Again, like a lot of other people, you might have already had a stab at a fashion shoot, and realized that achieving the quality and potency you find in professional portfolios isn’t all that easy.
Still, if you’re determined to turn it around, here are a few valuable pointers for a great fashion shoot.
IMAGE SOURCE: Pixabay
Every good shoot starts with a plan for a storyboard, and a backup plan for it. Naturally, you’ll be raring to get out there and start taking some shots. However, if you fail to take this key preparation step, you’re only going to be setting yourself up to fail. Draft a storyboard that will map out exactly how you want your idea to happen. Try drawing sketches of what you hope your images will look like. You don’t have to be a world-class artist for this. However, you should try to play around with lighting, poses, shadow, and so on.
You should also put together some mood boards for the shoot. If you weren’t already aware, a mood board is a kind of template where you can plan out the swatches of colors, references, and (in the case of fashion) ideas for hairstyles and makeup. Of course, there’s no guarantee that everything will go to plan the first time around. Because of this, it’s important that you have a back-up storyboard in place.
IMAGE SOURCE: Geograph
Next, be sure to scout the right location for the intended mien of your shoot. It’s a common rookie’s mistake to think that the outcome of your shoot hinges entirely on the models, the clothes they’re wearing, and your general skills as a photographer. The location will also have a huge impact on how well your shots come out. Try to start scouting well in advance, and target accessible and free spots, such as public, urban areas and abandoned buildings.
If you can’t find anywhere like this that suits your needs, then you may want to look into some shoot location companies, or teaming up with another photographer to rent a decent space. If possible, keep the photos of the clothing pieces on you, and consider how each one will bounce off of the surrounding scene.
IMAGE SOURCE: Pexels
Finally, make sure you’re booking the right models. The model in fashion photography can mean the difference between a brilliant shoot and a complete disaster. Because of this, it’s exceptionally important that you find a model or models who are well-suited to your overall vision. If the model you choose clashes with the intended tone of the shoot, then it’s certainly going to show up in the end result. Obviously, you may not want to pay a hefty model’s fee, so try scouting them from your friends, family, college or work. If you are going to go to a modeling agency, just make sure you read up on directing techniques before. Otherwise, you could end up wasting a lot of money.
